Folding plow.



G. J. BINGHAM.

FOLDING PLOW.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 8, 1912.

@ 1,040,263. Patented 001;. 8, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

COLUMBIA PLANOORAPII co., WASmNO'roN, n. c.

CY J. BINGHAM, OF JOHN DAY, OREGON.

FOLDING PLOW.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 8, 1912.

Application filed June 8, 1912. Serial No. 702,635.

(DEDICATED To THE PUBLIC.)

To all whom it may concern:

I Be it known that I, CY J. BINGHAM, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, and an employee of the Department of Agriculture of the saidUnited States, residing at John Day, in the county of Grant, State ofOregon, (whose post-office address is John Day, Oregon,) have invented anew and useful Improvement in Folding Plows.

This application is made under the act of March 3, 1883, chapter 143 (22Stat. 625), and the invention herein described and claimed may be usedby the Government of the United States, or any of its ofiicers oremployees, or by any person in the United States, without the payment ofany royalty thereon.

.My invention relates to folding plows.

The object of my invention is to provide a plow that is simple inconstruction, easy of operation and adapted to be readily unloaded andconveniently carried or transported.

My device is designed for use in fighting forest fires, as the same isso arranged that it can be compactly folded and two or more of the plowspacked on the back of a horse and conveyed to any locality in which afire is raging, where they can be removed from the horse and set up andemployed for running furrows around the fire. The ordinary methodemployed for preventing the spread of forest fires is to grub out a firebreak with hand tools. This work is exceedingly laborious as it usuallyrequires the services of a large number of men and considerable time toconstruct such a firebreak. The reason for following this apparentlycrude method of intercepting the progress of a forest fire is becausesuch fires frequently occur in remote and inaccessible parts of theforest where implements suitable for successfully combating the progressof the fire cannot be carried. My invention is intended particularly toovercome the difficulties so encountered.

The object, characteristic features and scope of my invention will bemore readily understood from the following description taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof,wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my plow, Fig. 2 is a perspective view ofthe mechanism, Fig. 3 is a side view of the plow in a locked position,Fig. 4; is a top view of the plow in a closed position, and, Fig. 5 is asectional view of the standard and beam in working position.

Referring to the drawings, A, represents the plow beam, having a clevis,B, secured thereto. To the lower part of the sides of said beam, A, inmortises, C C, I adjust slotted plates, D D. These plates, D D, may beconstructed of iron, steel or other material, and are so arranged insaid mortises that their slotted portions extend below the bottom of theplow beam, and their rear ends extend somewhat beyond the end of theplow beam for the purpose of forming guides for the standard hereinafterreferred to. The plates, D D, are secured to the plow beam, A, by meansof threaded bolts, E E, passing through openings in said plates and beamand engaging threaded nuts, F F. G, designates an opening in said plowbeam and H H represent the divergent handles, provided with a crosspiece, I. The handles, H H, have holes or openings, J J near their lowerends, and are movably adjusted to the plow beam, A, by passing thethreaded bolt, K, through the openings, J J and G, and engaging thethumb screw, L. The standard, M, is provided with a plow shovel, N,which may be secured to its lower end in any suitable manner. In themortise, 0, cut in the center of the standard, I place a brace plate, P,provided with integral extensions, Q Q. This brace plate may be made ofhard steel or other suitable material, and is secured to said standardby threaded bolts, R It, which pass through openings in said brace plateand said standard and engage the threaded nuts, S S. The standard, M, isadjusted to the plow beam, A, by fitting the extensions, Q Q, in theslots of the plates, D D. When so adjusted and the plow is in a closedposition, the standard, M, is adapted to slide back and forth inresponse to pressure, horizontally with said beam.

T, indicates a hole in the standard, M, through which passes a hook, U,having a threaded end. The purpose of the hook, U, is to hold thestandard, M, in a fixed position when the plow is arranged foroperation. This object is effected by hooking the cross piece, I, at theridge, V, with the hook, U, and adjusting the thumb screw, W, to saidhook until the standard is held rigid against said cross piece.

Secured to one of the slotted plates, D D, is a detent, X, having anopening Y. This detent, X, is provided for locking the standard, M, whenthe plow is folded. The looking is accomplished by permitting one of theextensions, Q, Q, to enter the opening, Y, and then pressing the detentinwardly.

In arranging the plow for operation I release the standard, M, from itslocked position, slide it backward and raise the same to a verticalposition. The handles, H H, are turned rearward until the hook, U, comesin contact with the cross piece, I. Then I place the hook, U, over saidcross piece, and adjust the thumb screw, W, to the threaded end of saidhook until the standard becomes rigid. After adjustment of the parts inthis manner the plow is ready for use. When it is desired to fold theplow it is only necessary to loosen the thumb screw, W, disengage thehook, U, then turn the standard, M, backward from its upwardly inclinedposition until it is parallel with the beam, A, and shove it forwarduntil one of the extensions, R R, enters the opening Y. The detent, X,is pressed inwardly and locks the standard. The handles, H H, are pusheddown against the beam, A, thus completing the folding operation.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a folding plow, comprising a plow beam, divergent handles having across piece, said handles movably adjusted to said plow beam, slottedplates mortised in the sides of. said plow beam, a standard providedwith a plow shovel, a brace plate mortised in said standard and havingintegral extensions entering the slots of said plates,

a hook for adjusting said standard to said cross piece, substantially asspecified.

2. In a folding plow, comprising a plow beam, divergent handles movablyadjusted to said beam, slotted plates, openings in said beam and plates,bolts for entering said openings and securing said plates to said beam,a standard provided with a plow shovel, a brace plate having integralextensions, openings in'said brace plate and standard, bolts forentering said openings and securing said brace plates to said standard,said extensions adapted to enter and move in the slots of said plates,an opening in the top of said standard, v a hook having a threaded endfor entering said opening, a thumb screw for engaging the threaded endof said hook, said hook holding said standard in a rigid position bymeans of hooking said cross piece and adjusting said thumbscrew, and adetent secured to the side of said beam for locking said standard,substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof, I afiix signature in the presence of twosubscribed witnesses.

CY J. BINGHAM.

Witnesses:

D. B. REYNoLDs, S. A. ANDERSON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

